8kg cat 'Hefty Henry' looking for new home after beginning fitness regime

An 8kg overweight cat which was brought to a Norfolk rehoming centre is looking for a new home after starting a fitness regime to slim down.

Four-year-old Henry, nicknamed 'Hefty Henry', was dropped off at Cats Protection’s Downham Market Adoption Centre more than 2kg over the average weight for a cat of its age.

Thanks to to a fitness programme, Henry has already started to drop excess pounds and should reach the goal weight once a new home has been found. 

Leah Snowden, a cat car assistant at the charity, said: “Henry is a handsome free-spirited boy with bags of character and, once he can enjoy the more active lifestyle that he loves, he will slim down and feel much better in himself.

“Fat cats can also become lethargic and need encouragement to exercise.

"Thankfully, that’s one thing we don’t need to worry about with Henry.

"He’s a lively boy who likes to run around so we’ve been able to develop an effective exercise programme to suit this character."

Cats Protection said the ideal weight for a healthy adult cat should be around 4.5kg to 6kg, dependent on age and breed.

If a cat is believed to be overweight, veterinary advice should be sought before making any changes and the charity said crash dieting should always be avoided, with a gradual and steady decrease in weight  recommended.

Ms Snowden added: “Overweight cats find it hard to clean themselves and are at a higher risk of health issues, such as diabetes, arthritis and heart trouble, so it’s important that we get Henry’s weight under control while we can still avoid later problems.”

Due to the new exercise plan, Henry's new home would need to have plenty of outdoor space and an owner who is willing to stick to Henry's strict diet.

The charity is hoping are hoping to find an adult-only home with an experienced cat owner and said Henry would be suited to a rural location.